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Date Picker Content Control format options

Anonymous
2024-03-14T16:14:44+00:00

Is it possible to have the end user of a Word form (without use of Developer tools) choose the way the date picker displays the date in a Date Picker Content Control?

For example, choose between the two formats

MMMM d, yyyy

or

dddd, MMMM d, yyyy

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows

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Charles Kenyon 167.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2024-03-15T17:30:33+00:00

It is a bit complicated but...

You could save multiple versions of the date picker control as multiple building blocks with alternate formats and then use a Building Blocks Gallery Content Control in your document to allow the user to pick from those formats.

Better might be CreateDate fields saved as building blocks in the different formats.

You can set the Building Blocks Gallery Content Control to be deleted upon editing. (I.e., once a choice is made, it is no longer a CC. If the building blorks, themselves, are Content Controls, the one chose would be there.

I am assuming that you are working with a template, not a document. When that is used to create a new document, any CreateDate field will reflect the date the document is created, not the date the template is created.

If you want to see how this works, here is a temporary link to a macro-free template that demonstrates the use of building blocks and the Building Blocks Gallery Content Control. It has two such controls, one that gives various date pickers, and the other gives various CreateDate fields formatted with three different date formats. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qkscfsc6e8mcmzps4kwae/Date-Format-Pick-in-Building-Blocks-Gallery.dotx?rlkey=x5gxq5vdaxvj2uc7lnfk692py&dl=0

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-03-15T23:26:19+00:00

    Yes (qualified). If a) the form is a macro enabled document and b) your end users will consent to macro enabled document use on their system then you could prompt to use to select date format when they enter the date picker control or you could display a userform when the form opens asking for date format or you could have a button on your form custom ribbon or QAT that executes a prompt (userform) to choose format. Lots of options with the qualified yes.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-03-21T08:27:01+00:00

    Dear Lucy,

    Thanks for your updates.

    Date Content Control may not work on Android phones or tablets and Word for the web directly. The users may need to use Word for Windows to work on the files.

    I think that you can share the files including the the date content control with other users in a shared folder in OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online.

    Then users can download them and edit the them with Word for Windows.

    Generally, you can copy and paste the date content control from one file to another file.

    Welcome to share any updates at your convenience if you need further help on this issue.

    Thanks for your effort and time.

    Sincerely

    Cliff | Microsoft Community Moderator

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  3. Charles Kenyon 167.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-03-17T03:06:41+00:00

    Greg's method is more "elegant" in that it is likely to give a better user experience, if macros can be used. I was trying to give you a method that does not require macros.

    A UserForm is a custom dialog box and is an extremely powerful tool.

    Create & Employ a Userform by Greg Maxey

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-03-15T04:47:51+00:00

    Dear Lucy,

    You need to use the Developer tool to define the date format. The end user can click on Developer>Properties>insert the date format as they want like the following.

    If something is misunderstood, welcome to share any updates at your convenience.

    Thanks for your effort and time.

    Sincerely

    Cliff | Microsoft Community Moderator

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